Full Military Honors

[thedrifter]

Full Military Honors

December 18, 2008: Starting next month, all U.S. soldiers killed in combat (including friendly fire), who are buried in Arlington National Cemetery, will be accorded "full military honors" for their funeral service. This includes an escort platoon from the infantry battalion that supplies troops for burials (the Washington DC garrison always contains one such battalion), a colors team (with flags), a band and a horse-drawn caisson for the casket. Before, only officers, and enlisted troops who held the Medal of Honor or were sergeants major (the highest enlisted rank, E-9) got full military honors. Formerly, the lower ranking enlisted troops got troops as pall bearers, a firing party (to fire volleys), a bugler and a chaplain. These were always available for any burial.

While each service (marines, sailors, soldiers, airmen) provides pall bearers and a firing party, the local U.S. Army infantry battalion provides the escort platoon, and operates the caisson. This force can provide eight "full military honors" funerals a day. Since September 11, 2001, 531 troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, were interned, or memorialized, in Arlington. That's about six a month. Most of the hundred or so funerals at Arlington each week are for veterans (not all are eligible.) Most of these do not qualify for full military honors.

Ellie

[cplaussem]

My uncle Richard Aussem died last summer. He is a MARINE. We should all feel good knowing that UNCLE DICK is on post watching over us with the rest of the fallen. The VFW provided an honor guard and taps was played but it just wasn't I don't know. It wasn't good enough for him. He deserved better. Not just because he was a MARINE I don't feel that way at all. I would and do feel the same way for anybody that serves this great country in any branch of the service. It just didn't seem like it was enough for him and what he did for us. He was an atomic MARINE. Sat in a ditch in the desert while they lit up the sky with the a-bomb. Air Force One could have landed on Champlain street and it wouldn't have been enough. He deserved better. We all deserve better. Thanks. Semper Fidelis.

[sfearing]

I am a musician who lives in Arlington and I know many, many of the members of the service bands from every branch of our armed forces who perform during the memorials at Arlington National Cemetery. They are a very dedicated and patriotic group of people who I am very proud to know. I want you to know that the services held there are in very good hands - the best! Here are some of them (about to go on duty).

[doc h fmf]

I believe that all who did the ultimate sacrafice should get full military honors no mater what rank or medal status

to me they are all my heros

[rickyracer]

I don't know.

I feel that when I go, Being carried by 6 is fine by me.

[rufus1]

http://www.marinecaskets.com/html/honors.html This is what you need to do to have Marines come do a burial detail.